Creating the imaginative films within the science fiction and fantasy genres takes a team of talented individuals, among which are the artists. One of the underappreciated artists who worked on Star Wars is Colin Cantwell.

Cantwell, the concept artist and spaceship designer for Star Wars: A New Hope, was recently the subject of a profile piece on The Denver Post’s website The Know. He created the concepts and models for the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Star Destroyer, and the Death Star. In addition to working with George Lucas, the engineer, designer, and animator has worked with top directors like Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick.

During his years of experience in the entertainment industry, he accumulated a collection of related and personally used memorabilia. In 2014, he sold a selection of those items, from both Star Wars and other series, at Julien’s Auctions. One of the marquee pieces was an original screenplay from January 1975 entitled Adventures of The Starkiller Episode One ‘The Star Wars’ by George Lucas. The auction, which fetched $118,732, also included preproduction illustrations, model kits, blueprints, and special effects equipment.

Now, Cantwell is touring comic conventions to sell prints of his work, meet fans, and participate in panels. He is also publishing the first of a two-volume book series CoreFires.

To learn more about Cantwell, his collection, and what he’s up to now, visit theknow.denverpost.com.